Political Science Honors Degree
The Honors experience in Political Science gives students the opportunity to pursue advanced scholarly work, develop research and writing skills, and complete an independent Honors thesis under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
Beginning Fall 2026, students who complete the Honors requirements graduate with a BA or BS in their major with University Honors. Students no longer receive an HBA or HBS in an individual major. The Honors coursework, learning-community requirements, and Honors thesis requirement remain in place.
Students interested in Honors should consult the Honors College early in their academic careers. Honors requirements may vary depending on a student’s catalog year and academic circumstances. Students should confirm their requirements with the Honors College and review the current Honors College requirements for their program.
Political Science students should consult the Honors College and the Political Science Departmental Honors Liaison regarding Honors coursework, approved courses, and how courses may apply to their degree requirements.
Course offerings and departmental policies may change. Students should confirm current course options, Honors designations, prerequisites, and degree applicability before enrolling.
The Honors thesis is a significant scholarly project completed under the supervision of a faculty thesis mentor. Thesis projects should demonstrate research expertise in political science, command of relevant scholarship, and a contribution to political science scholarship. The writing should be clear, polished, well organized, and tightly structured.
There is no uniform required length for a Political Science Honors thesis. However, a thesis of approximately 30–35 pages, not including notes, is common in Political Science. Students should discuss the appropriate scope, length, research method, organization, and citation style with their faculty thesis mentor.
Political Science does not permit collaborative Honors theses. Each student must complete an individual thesis project.
Students must follow the Honors College’s thesis-formatting requirements. The final
thesis must use either the Honors College Word template or LaTeX template and must
include the required title-page format, signatures, abstract, table of contents, and
pagination. Beyond those requirements, the thesis format is determined by Political
Science and the faculty thesis mentor.
Thesis Submission
Political Science does not require a separate departmental Honors Thesis Proposal process in addition to the Honors College Thesis Registration process.
Before submitting Thesis Registration, students should:
- Identify a potential Political Science faculty thesis mentor.
- Develop a preliminary thesis topic in consultation with that mentor.
- Obtain informal approval of the proposed mentor and topic from the faculty mentor. 4. Complete the Honors College Thesis Registration Form.
The Honors College Thesis Registration process is:
- The student completes the online Thesis Registration Form.
- The form is sent to the faculty thesis mentor for official approval.
- After the mentor approves the registration, it is sent to the Departmental Honors Liaison for official approval.
- Once the Departmental Honors Liaison approves the registration, the student, faculty mentor, and liaison receive an email confirming approval.
- If revisions are required at any stage, the student is notified and must revise and resubmit the registration.
Students are expected to submit Thesis Registration by the end of their third year, generally by Reading Day. Students should begin discussing their thesis topic and faculty mentor well before this deadline.
Students are responsible for identifying a faculty member whose research interests and expertise are appropriate for the proposed thesis topic. Students should contact potential mentors early and discuss the proposed research question, project scope, research methods, timeline, and expectations for drafts and revisions.
Both career-line and tenure-line Political Science faculty are eligible to serve as Honors thesis mentors. If a faculty mentor leaves the University before the thesis is complete, the mentor may continue to advise the thesis if both the mentor and student agree.
Students who are unsure whether a potential mentor is eligible, or who need help identifying an appropriate faculty member, should contact the Departmental Honors Liaison.
An Honors thesis requires sustained work over time. Students should expect to submit multiple drafts and make substantive and stylistic revisions before submitting the final thesis.
Students should begin planning their thesis well in advance of graduation. A successful thesis typically requires time to:
- identify a research question;
- review relevant scholarship;
- design an appropriate research approach;
- conduct research;
- write and revise multiple drafts;
- obtain mentor and departmental approvals; and
- complete the Honors College formatting and submission requirements.
Students should not wait until the final weeks of the semester to begin working with their faculty mentor. Mentors and departmental reviewers need adequate time to provide feedback and approve the final thesis.
Students are required to enroll in POLS 4999, Honors Thesis, as part of the Political Science Honors thesis process. Students should consult with their faculty thesis mentor to determine the appropriate semester for enrollment and should email the Departmental Honors Liaison for instructions on registering for the course.
Beginning Fall 2026, academic advising for Honors students is provided through their major or regional advising teams. Students should work with their academic advisor to plan their coursework and incorporate Honors requirements into their degree plans.
The Honors College continues to support students with Honors-specific questions, including requirements, Learning Communities, Honors policies, and thesis registration and approval. If, after meeting with your major advisor, there are still questions about requirements, please email info@honors.utah.edu for assistance.
Political Science Academic Advising
Students should contact their Political Science academic advisor for questions about major requirements, course planning, and how Honors requirements and coursework fit into their overall degree plan.
Political Science Departmental Honors Liaison
The Political Science Departmental Honors Liaison helps students:
- understand the Political Science thesis requirements;
- identify potential faculty thesis mentors;
- develop a preliminary thesis topic;
- complete the Honors College Thesis Registration process; and
- address questions about Political Science coursework and thesis expectations.
Political Science Departmental Honors Liaison: Professor Eunbin Chung, eunbin.chung@utah.edu
Honors College Thesis Information: See this webpage on the general Honors College thesis page for formatting and submission guidance.